Area kids take walks on the wild side

Saturday

Aug 23, 2014 at 12:01 AMAug 23, 2014 at 11:31 AM

By Matt TotaDaily News Staff

FRANKLIN — One morning early this month, Leah Mercurio and 10 children tramped through the woodlands of Medfield’s Noon Hill. As they followed the winding trails, the kids kept their eyes fixed on the treetops, scanning for birds.

Mercurio, a local mom with two young daughters, prepared field guides for the group that listed some of the species they might encounter within the dense forest; it even included a graphic showing the anatomy of a bird and a couple of pages in the back for the children to scribble what they saw.

The 10 a.m. hike was one of many Mercurio has organized in the last two months through a Facebook group she started in July.

The idea came to her while she read comments left on the "Friends of Franklin" Facebook group. Many came from moms who discussed trying to fit in outdoor activities for their children in between work and chores, Mercurio said. She suggested hiking.

Not knowing what to expect, she created the Franklin Area Kids Hiking Group on a whim: In four days, more than 100 parents had joined. And the number has doubled since then.

Mercurio usually plans two to three hikes each week, two of which tailor to specific themes.

For instance, Mercurio has led the group to Bird Park in Walpole to identify the different species of trees there — from red oak to white pine to yellow birch — and started a survival series where the children venture out to learn about how to build a proper shelter.

The number of children per hike varies. Ages range, too: Most of the trips Mercurio gears for kids 3 to 9 years old, but she has also set up some specifically for teenagers.

This summer, the group has tread all over the root- and rock-covered forest floors of Norfolk County, including the Nature Trail and Cranberry Bog in Foxborough, the Southern New England Trunkline Trail that begins in the Franklin State Forest and Tangerini's Spring Street Farm in Millis.

The Cranberry Bog adventures have been a favorite of Adrianne Marzoratti and her two boys, 4 and 6. Marzoratti, who home-schools her sons, admitted that she gets as much out of the hiking group as the kids.

"It’s great for the moms who enjoy connecting with other moms," she said. "We have a blast."

Mercurio said she’ll keep the group going throughout the year by switching the hikes to the weekends.

"The kids love it," she said. "They’ve been so responsive: They ask questions, they’re intrigued and curious. It’s amazing how much they learn from one hike. They can start telling you the difference between species of trees and animals."

While Mercurio would by no means call herself an expert hiker, she said she did grow up in a family that regularly took three-week-long camping trips. She passed on that love and respect of nature to her own children. With her husband, an avid outdoorsman himself, she says her family relishes backpacking and hiking.

One reason she believes the group has been so popular is the jaunts provide an escape from the hyper-connected, hyper-hectic day-to-day lives of today’s youth.

"This gives kids a chance to slow down and breathe fresh air, to see the wonders of the world through their own eyes, not through a screen," she said.

While most of the hikes are free, some of the themed excursions cost $3 to $5 a person to cover expenses.

For more information about the group, find it on Facebook by searching "Franklin Ma Kids Hiking Group" or contact it via email at franklinkidshike@yahoo.com.